Australia Cracks Down on International Students and Working Holiday Visa Holders
Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced stricter rules for international students and working holiday visa holders in an effort to curb immigration. The new regulations aim to bring net overseas migration to 225,000 people by 2028.
The changes include restrictions on family members accompanying foreign students, with exemptions for those already in Australia and applicants from Pacific and South East Asian countries. PhD students will still be allowed to bring their families, but undergraduates will not.
Burke also introduced a ballot system for working holiday visas, which will affect holders aged 18-30. Those who qualify for a second year will have to enter a ballot with a cap of 45,000, down from the previous limit of 57,000. For the third year, only 5,000 will be allowed in through the ballot, compared to the previous 31,000.